Creeping through the valley, crawling o’er the hill, Splashing through the branches, rumbling o’er the mill; Putting nervous gentlemen in a towering rage. What is so provoking as riding in a stage?

Spinsters fair and forty, maids in youthful charms, Suddenly are cast into their neighbors’ arms; Children shoot like squirrels darting through a cage- Isn’t it delightful, riding in a stage?

Feet are interlacing, heads severely bumped, Friend and foe together get their noses thumped; Dresses act as carpets-listen to the sage; “Life is but a journey taken in a stage.”

— From: Six Horses by Captain William Banning & George Hugh Banning, 1928.

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Numerous stagecoach lines and express services dotted the American West, as entrepreneurs fought to compete for passengers, freight, and most importantly, profitable government mail contracts.

Often braving terrible weather, pitted roads, treacherous terrain, and Indian and bandit attacks, the stagecoach lines valiantly carried on during westward expansion, despite the hazards.

Though stagecoach travel for passengers was uncomfortable, it was often the only means of travel and was certainly safer than traveling alone. If passengers wanted to sleep, they were required to do so sitting up and it was considered bad etiquette to rest ones head on another passenger. There were also numerous other rules required of passengers including abstaining from liquor, not cursing or smoking if ladies were present, and others.

Though there were many types of stagecoaches used for various purposes, the most often used for passenger service was the Concord Stagecoach, which was first built in 1827.

Designed by the Abbot Downing Company, the coach utilized leather strap braces underneath, which gave them a swinging motion instead of using a spring suspension, which jostled passengers up and down. Over the years, the New Hampshire based company manufactured over forty different types of carriages and wagons, earning a reputation that their coaches rarely broke down, rather they just “wore out.” The coaches weighted more than a ton and cost between $1500 and $1800 at the time. The stages had three seats, providing for nine passengers with little leg room. Passengers were also allowed to ride on top. The term “stage” originally referred to the distance between stations as each coach traveled the route in “stages.”

Stagecoach Robbery

The most profitable contracts to be had by the stage lines were U.S. Mail contracts, which were hotly contested for. Though the Pony Express is often credited with being the first fast mail service from the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast, the Overland Mail Company actually began a twice-weekly mail service in September, 1858. Each service crossed more than 2,800 miles from San Francisco, California to Missouri and was required to be completed in 25 days or less.

Along the many stage routes, stations were established about every 12 miles that included two types of stations — “swing” and “home.” As the stage driver neared the station, he or she would blow a small brass bugle or trumpet to alert the station staff of the impending arrival.

The larger stations, called “Home Stations,” generally ran by a couple or family , were usually situated about 50 miles apart and provided meager meals and overnight lodging to passengers. Often; however, “lodging” was no more than a dirt floor.

These stations also included stables where the horses could be changed and often, a blacksmith and repair shop, in addition to a telegraph station. Here, drivers were usually switched.

Stagecoach Rules

The more numerous “swing” stations, generally run by a few bachelor stock tenders, were smaller and usually consisted of little more than a small cabin and a barn or corral. Here, the coach would stop only about ten minutes to change the team and allow passengers to stretch before the coach was on its way again.

At one time, more than 150 stations were situated between Kansas and California.

As the railroad continued to push westward, stagecoach service became less and less in demand. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869,transcontinental stage-coaching came to an end.

However, this was not the end of the stagecoach, as it continued to be utilized in areas without railroad service for several more decades. In the end, it was actually, the introduction of the automobile that led to the end of the stagecoach in the early 1900’s.

1 thought on “Stagecoaches of the American West”

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